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Tax Optimizer

Use the Tax Optimizer page to launch the Tax Optimizer Java-based application, which lets you manage your stock, option, bond, warrant and single-stock future gains and losses for tax purposes. Specifically, the Tax Optimizer lets you select one of several tax lot-matching algorithms to:

• Change the default tax lot-matching method for your account.
• Change the default tax lot-matching method for the current or prior trading day.
• Change the default tax lot-matching method for a specific symbol for the current or prior trading day.
• Run real-time "what if" scenarios that let you change the lot-matching method on the fly to immediately see the effect on your gains and losses.
• Manually match specific sales to open tax lots for the current or prior trading day.

Who can access the Tax Optimizer?

All users can access the Tax Optimizer except Canadian customers, whose accounts are automatically assigned to our IB Canada (IB-CA) entity.

To run the Tax Optimizer

You must have the Java Runtime Environment minimum version 1.6 installed on your computer to be able to run the Tax Optimizer.

1. Click Reports > Tax. The Tax Reports screen opens.
2. In the Tax Optimizer panel, select either the current or prior trading day from the Trading Day drop-down.

   

3. Click Launch Tax Optimizer.
4. You are prompted to open the file taxoptimizer.jnlp. Depending on your web browser, click Open or OK to open the file.

   The Tax Optimizer opens.

Note: If you log out of Account Management while the Tax Optimizer is open, you will not be able to save your changes in the Tax Optimizer.

For complete instructions on using the Tax Optimizer, see the Tax Optimizer Users Guide.